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A 17th Century broadside ballad celebrating the return of Christmas and the Restoration of the monarchy. To the tune of Hey boys, up go we. Michael Palmer: baritone Eleanor Cramer: bass viol Robin Jeffrey: cittern Alison Kinder: recorder Tamsin Lewis: violin The Merry Boys of Christmas Come, come my roaring ranting boys, let’s never be cast down, We’ll never mind the female toys, but loyal be to the crown, We’ll never break our hearts with care, or be cast down with fear, Our bellies then let us prepare to drink some Christmas beer. Then here’s a health to Charles our King, throughout the world admir’d, Let us his great applauses sing, that we so much desir’d, And wish’t amongst us for to reign when Oliver rul’d here, But since he’s home return’d again, come fill some Christmas beer. These holidays we’ll briskly drink, all mirth we will devise, No treason will we speak or think, but bring us brave mince pies, Roast beef, and brave plum porridge our loyal hearts to cheer, Then prithee make no more ado, but bring us Christmas beer. Roxburghe Ballads, 17th Century. From our CD Old Christmas Returned https://passamezzo.bandcamp.com/album/old-christmas-returned Image courtesy of EBBA http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/30942/citation